Dead Man's Party in The Witcher 3: All Wedding Activities, Shani's Shoe and the Achievement
Witcher 3 Hearts of Stone Dead Man's Party walkthrough: the crypt ritual, every wedding activity, where Shani's shoe is, and how to get Let the Good Times Roll!
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Updated October 2026. Dead Man's Party is the most fun quest in Hearts of Stone. To fulfil one of Olgierd von Everec's three wishes, Geralt has to show his long-dead brother Vlodimir a good time, so Vlodimir borrows Geralt's body and goes to a village wedding with Shani. This guide covers the crypt ritual, every wedding activity and how to get the Let the Good Times Roll! achievement.
Quick answer
Start: talk to Shani at her clinic in Oxenfurt about the von Everec family crypt. Suggested level 33.
Mandatory wedding activities (4): herd the pigs, the Gwent game with the halflings, find the fire swallower, and fish Shani's shoe out of the pond.
Achievement: leave Shani's shoe for last and do every optional activity first.
Shani's shoe: it is to the left, in a corner on a ledge. Only her shoe gives the full reward.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Quest type | Main quest (Hearts of Stone) |
| Locations | Oxenfurt, von Everec family crypt, Brunwich |
| Suggested level | 33 |
| Previous quest | Evil's Soft First Touches |
| Next quests | A Midnight Clear, Scenes From a Marriage |
| Optional rewards | King of Swineherd's crown, Ass ears |
The von Everec Crypt
Ask Shani in Oxenfurt about Olgierd's family. She has read about the von Everecs and meets you at the family crypt with a censer. Inside, four wraiths attack (two at a time); a Reliever's decoction helps here, because more ghosts are coming.
Use Witcher Senses to find Vlodimir's grave (the one with a sabre in front), spread incense at every marked spot, then light the central votive. The ghosts of the whole von Everec family rise and attack. When they are gone, Vlodimir appears and possesses Geralt.
Point of no return: once you start the ritual you are locked into the quest until it ends. Before the wedding, apply beast oil to your steel sword: your inventory is disabled during the party.
Optional: a breakable wall in the crypt leads to a graverobber's body with a crypt key, a side tunnel with loot and a few arachnomorphs. Also, just left of the crypt entrance is a copy of the Ofieri kilij steel sword.
The Wedding at Brunwich
You can't fast travel to Brunwich, so ride from the gate. Vlodimir insists on new clothes and a haircut and shave; this always happens, so don't bother going to a barber first. Meet the newlyweds, Aldona and Johnnus, then take part in the activities. Each mandatory one moves the clock forward; after two of them, Vlodimir dances with Shani and Gaunter O'Dimm appears. Talk to him when the new objective shows up.
All Wedding Activities
| Activity | Type | How to do it |
|---|---|---|
| The Pig Whisperer | Mandatory | Herd the two black pigs with yellow paint into the pen. No Axii, or it counts as cheating. Then a fistfight with three brothers. |
| Gwent with the halflings | Mandatory | Beat their Northern Realms deck (Foltest leader, spies, weather, Scorch). Lose and you pay 5% of your coin and wear Ass ears. |
| The Fire Swallower | Mandatory | Follow the dog's tracks, find him in a tree, convince him to come back and protect him from a boar. |
| Shoe fishing | Mandatory | Dive for Shani's shoe: to the left, in a corner on a ledge. Leave this one for last. |
| Talk to the two "girls" | Optional | Both turn out to be elderly women. |
| Drinks at two tables | Optional | Just join them. |
| Shani in the barn loft | Optional | Ladder outside the small door; there is also a Cow Gwent card if you haven't taken it before. |
| Dance in the barn | Optional | Walk to the stage inside the barn. |
The Pig Whisperer
Only the black pigs with yellow paint count. Herd them slowly towards the pen like sheep; there is no time limit. Doing it fairly earns the King of Swineherd's crown trophy, which the Witcher Wiki lists as having the best gold bonus of any trophy. Using Axii gets you only a small reward. Afterwards, Shani dares Vlodimir to woo a girl, and her three brothers start a fistfight: win it for the better reward.
Gwent with the halflings
The halflings at the table play a strong Northern Realms deck. Win for the reward. Lose and Vlodimir has bet "all in": you hand over 5% of your money and wear a pair of Ass ears for the rest of the party (you keep them afterwards).
The Fire Swallower
The fire swallower was chased off by the dog, Demon. Follow the tracks with Witcher Senses (you may pick up his cap on the way). He is stuck in a tree across the small river. Use Axii on the dog or chase it off, then talk him into coming back: pay him 50 crowns, use Axii, or let him go. On the way back a boar attacks, and you have to protect him. If he leaves, you can juggle apples for the guests yourself instead.
Shoe fishing
Shani throws her shoe into the pond along with two other lost shoes. Only hers gives the full reward. It lies to the left, in a corner on a ledge. Bring it back to her.
Let the Good Times Roll! Achievement
To get it, take part in every activity, mandatory and optional. The easy way: do everything else first and leave fishing out Shani's shoe for last, because the fourth mandatory activity ends the party.
The End of the Party
After all four activities and the talk with Master Mirror, go to the musicians' stage. Vlodimir can make a speech (it has no consequences beyond embarrassment). During the capping, the garland lands on Shani's head, and Vlodimir writes a letter to his brother in blood. He then tries to stay longer to chase Shani, and Gaunter O'Dimm banishes him.
A Midnight Clear starts right after the wedding and fails if you leave. Stay and finish it with Shani.
Finally, take Vlodimir's letter to Olgierd at The Alchemy inn in Oxenfurt to complete the quest. Want to know more about Master Mirror? See our Gaunter O'Dimm guide.
Video: All Wedding Activities
Frequently Asked Questions
QWhere is Shani's shoe in Dead Man's Party?
In the pond, to the left in a corner on a ledge. Only Shani's own shoe gives the full reward.
QHow do you get the Let the Good Times Roll achievement?
Do every wedding activity, including the optional ones. Leave Shani's shoe for last, because the fourth mandatory activity ends the party.
QShould you use Axii on the pigs?
No. The guests treat it as cheating and you get a much smaller reward.
QWhat happens if you lose the Gwent game?
You pay the halflings 5% of your coin and wear Ass ears for the rest of the party.
QCan you leave during the wedding?
No. You are locked into the quest until it ends, and A Midnight Clear right after it fails if you leave.
Quest details checked against the Witcher Wiki in October 2026.
Kai Mercer covers game news, free games, release calendars and guides for xGamerss.
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